


Three Kisses

by mrs_leary (julie)



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: M/M, never the right time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24012685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/mrs_leary
Summary: The first time they kiss, it simply doesn’t work. Maybe it’s not the right time, anyway. Though will there everbea right time? At this point it seems unlikely!
Relationships: Bradley James/Colin Morgan
Comments: 10
Kudos: 51
Collections: Merlin RPF Prompts & Fests





	Three Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Written to my own (unposted) prompt for the **Merlin RPF Promptacular Fest 2020**. ♥ 
> 
> It was meant to be a Drabble Set, but Mrs L is just too much with the verbiage. 
> 
> **Disclaimer:** This flight of fancy has nothing at all to do with the actual Colin Morgan or Bradley James. The story is purely imaginary, and is not intended to cause offence.

# Three Kisses 

♦

## 2008

It was clumsy at first, as if one of them was sincere but the other thought he was joking, or maybe both of them were caught somewhere between meaning it and being ready to laugh it off, blaming it on the whiskey if need be. They were both sitting cross-legged on the floor, which probably didn't help anything - in Bradley's hotel room. Clumsy, and uncertain – and Bradley grunting in annoyance as Colin pressed in hard and their teeth and bones clashed. 

“Sorry,” Colin mumbled, “sorry,” his lips barely grazing Bradley’s now, and the sibilant buzzing along tender flesh like a mild electric shock. 

“No, come here,” Bradley demanded, hand sliding possessively around Colin’s nape, and now _he_ was the one pressing in too hard. Another grunt low in his throat, and then they tried again, but they could never seem to quite sync. “I _do_ know how to do this!” Bradley insisted. 

Colin pulled away with a wry laugh. “Never mind,” he said, staggering up to his feet before reaching down to ruffle Bradley’s hair. “I vote we forget about it, eh?” 

Bradley was scowling up at him. “Consider it forgot,” he said, each word clipped off hard. 

“All right,” said Colin. 

♦

## 2015

“I’ve missed this,” Bradley confided. It was late in the evening, and Colin had mellowed enough to quit being careful. There he was, caught out on the balcony alone with Bradley James – exactly what he’d intended to avoid – after everyone else happened to return to the party inside. “I’ve missed –” Bradley gestured, drink in hand, to the impromptu gathering of their old _Merlin_ friends, to the Thames flowing darkly below their feet, to St Paul’s lit up and glowing bright against the night sky. But his gaze held fast on Colin. 

“You’re doing well in the States,” Colin said, deliberately missing what he feared was the point. 

“You’re doing better here,” Bradley replied – “and so you should be, too.” 

Colin shook off that old argument, and took a long swallow of whiskey. “What’s your next project?” 

“I never did forget,” Bradley announced.

They stared at each other for long moments. There was no denying they both knew what he meant. All the words of protest were a logjam in Colin’s throat. 

“Please,” said Bradley in quiet undemanding tones. “Colin. Would you please tell me whether –”

“Not telling you anything out here,” Colin blurted. Bradley looked around at the otherwise empty balcony, at their oblivious friends inside. Colin gestured towards the other balconies jutting out across the building and above and below where they stood, some with light spilling through open doors. “You know how sound carries.”

“Ah.” Bradley nodded. After a moment, he took a step closer and murmured, “Then, would you let me maybe…” And he took Colin’s elbow in one hand to hold him still, and slowly pushed closer – slow enough for Colin to pull away if he wanted – and then Bradley’s mouth was on Colin’s, and was blessing him gently.

At first Colin responded, clumsy again, his lips apparently wanting to gobble Bradley up while Bradley was almost… almost _reverent_ which panicked the hell out of Colin, though his heart and his sex were clamouring for more – 

But then he remembered himself, and broke away. “I can’t,” he whispered harshly. “I can’t.”

Pain cracked across Bradley’s face, but he drew himself up, withdrew himself within. “I’m sorry.” It was obvious he was hoping that Colin would deny the need for such a promise, but Bradley said, “I won’t trouble you again.” 

“All right,” said Colin. 

♦

## 2022

They let Colin in the stage door to wait even though he wasn’t on the visitors list. He didn’t venture further than the hallway just past the little foyer, though. He didn’t want his quarry to feel as if he were being hunted down or cornered with nowhere to go. 

At last Bradley appeared from deep within the theatre, scrubbed clean and dressed in his regular clothes, heading towards the security desk to sign out. Mid-stride, he faltered, belatedly realising that the loiterer was waiting there for him. “Colin!” He took a breath, glanced around as if searching for clues, and then said, “I didn’t know you were here.” 

“Surprise!” Colin managed weakly. 

“Look. Um…” Bradley turned to the security guy. “Anyone out there for me, do you think?” 

“Of course, Mr James,” was the reply. “As always.”

Bradley huffed a laugh, and then turned back to Colin. “Would you wait here for a few – would you mind? I’ll be back as soon as I can.” 

“O’ course, Mr James,” Colin echoed in his broadest brogue, which prompted a proper laugh.

Colin was so jittery that five minutes felt like five hours – but at last Bradley was leading Colin further into the building, showing him into his darkened dressing room, switching on the lights and saying, “What brings you to New York?” 

He barely let Bradley finish before blurting, “Come back to London and move in with me.” 

“What?” 

“I know. I’m sorry. It was never the best time to say so, and it’s scary as fuck, but I love you.” 

Bradley’s expressive face managed to look both disgruntled and sceptical. “And it’s the best time now, is it?” 

“I don’t know. Maybe there’ll never be a best time, but I’m exhausted with denying it.” 

Bradley’s gaze was searching Colin for his truth, plumbing the depths of him. Eventually he said, “I can’t go back to London.” Maybe it dawned on them both then, that they were having a conversation already scripted. Grins broke out, self-conscious and uneasy at first, but then slowly broadening into happiness as they realised they were quite possibly – quite probably – heading for the same conclusion as Benjamin and Noah. Bradley said, “Come to the States!” 

“The States? I can't move here.” 

“Why not?” 

“I've got a career,” Colin protested. “Like, where would I live, who would I be in the States?” 

Bradley was just _glowing_ with hope now. He stepped forward and slipped one hand around Colin’s waist, lifted the other to palm his cheek, to run his fingers back into Colin’s wild hair. Slowly, with a delighted kind of certainty, he pushed forward and pressed his mouth to Colin’s. This time their lips moved and meshed together perfectly, and in the giddiness of the moment Colin let his heart and his sex feel all that they’d been wanting to feel for all these years. He wound his arms around Bradley’s waist and gathered himself and Bradley closely together. The kiss was… weirdly unexpectedly perfect. 

Eventually they broke away, just far enough to be able to watch each other and share a smile. Evidently it _was_ the best time – who’d have thought? 

“All right,” said Colin. 

♦


End file.
